Dundee manager Paul Hartley has warned their crucial win against Hamilton Accies will count for nothing if they lack fight in their coming games.
The Dark Blues emerged 1-0 victors thanks to a Paul McGowan goal and a determined all-round performance.
It left Hartley in no doubt that they got what they deserved and the result takes the pressure off the Dens Park boss, whose team had lost six league matches in a row.
Hartley was delighted with his “different Dundee”.
He said: “That’s the minimum we expect from them now, the players know that, they’re a great bunch of players to work with – they’re honest, and just haven’t had the results.
“That was a different Dundee and we’re going to be looking for that between now and the end of the season.
“We have to fight for every result. We might not always win, but as long as I see on the pitch what I saw there I’ll be happy.
“I’m delighted for the players – we deserved that, we fought, we stuck together and I’m pleased for the group.
“We had a good week, in terms of speaking, and some good stuff on the training pitch. We were all honest with each other, said we’re going to fix it together, and we’re going to fight every week, and every day in training – I don’t mean punches, but to fight together and show a real desire and attitude.
“That was a different Dundee team, a team that wanted it, the attitude was great, and all over the pitch, in every department, we deserved that.”
Accies boss Martin Canning accepted that his players lost the battle.
He said: “I thought the performance levels weren’t what they were through the week, and the two line-ups – 3-5-2 – meant it was always going to be a match-up, so we had to win the battle and don’t think we did that.
“Did we do enough to win the game? Definitely not. Did we do enough to lose the game, probably not, but we have, and it’s disappointing.
“From what we have in the dressing room we want to go and win games, particularly ones like that. We didn’t and it’s something we have to look at – there’s no point getting yourselves up for big games like Aberdeen, Celtic or Rangers coming here, and letting Dundee come here and leave with three points.”
